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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 29, 1975)
friday, august 29, 1975 page 10 daily nebraskan nebroskon spfe Offense rebuilding effort challenging for Osborne A rebuilt offensive line, depth at I-back, wide receiver and tight end, and competition for quarterback will characterize the offense of the UNL football team this year, according to three Nebraska coaches. Head Coach Tom Osborne, entering his third season as Husker coach with an 18-5-1 record, said he was not especially disappointed or pleased with the offense's play in Saturday's scrimmage. "They didn't have many fumbles or interceptions," he said. "The effort has generally been good, but we've got a lot to do." Offensive line hit The offensive line was hardest hit by graduation, losing four of last year's five starters. The task of finding replacements belongs to offensive line coach Oetus Fischer, inhis 1 6h year at Nebraska. Fischer said Rik Bonness, senior center and the only returning line starter, is "a bona fide All-American." Bonness was a consensus All-Big 8 pick and made the Associated Press's All-American team last season. According to Fischer, the rest of the line is improving. "If they improve as much the next two weeks as they have this week, we should have one of Nebraskas better offensive lines," he said. Nebraska's latest depth charts list tackles Bob Lingenfelter and Steve Hoins and guards Dan Schmidt and Rich Constanzo on the first unit. Experience lacking Fischer said lack of playing experience generally is more noticeable in the offensive line than at any other position, and added that it takes about two years to learn everything needed to play in the line. Tight end and wide receiver candidates have more experience than prospective linemen. At tight end, the Huskers return starter Larry Mushinskie and letterman Brad Jenkins, both listed on the first team. "Mushinskie and Jenkins are very close," Osborne said. "They have been pretty much interchangeable for a year." 'At split end Nebraska returns three lettermen: Chuck Malito, Bobby Thomas and Dave Shamblin. Their competition will come from Ron Nitzel, a transfer from Nebraska Southern who came into fall camp as the number one wide receiver. The Huskers must replace the team's leading touchdown scorer last season, wingback Don Westbrook. Wingback toss-up According to wingback coach John Melton, Curtis Craig and Tom Heiser rate a toss-up for Westbrook's position. "It's so close, I'd rather not pick one," he said. Ken Brown, from Cincinnati is the only freshman on the varsity offense and has been doing a good job at wingback, Melton added. Tony Davis, the most valuable player in Nebraska's Sugar Bowl win over Florida last year, heads the fullback candidates. Davis, a sr .or, needs 655 yards rushing to become tne Husker all-time leading ground gainer. - John O'Leary has moved to the number one I-back spot. According to Osborne, I-backs Dave Gillespie, with a severe muscle pull, and Monte Anthony, who is nursing a shoulder bruise, will be competing for the starting I-back position. Terry Luck and Vince Ferragamo have been alternating at quarterback on the No. 1 unit this fall. Randy Garcia and Earl Everett also are battling for the top spot. Ferragamo however, will be forced to sit out the Sept. 13 opener in Lincoln with Louisiana State because of a one-game NCAA probation for attending a bowl game illegally. "The quarterback, as well as the tight end and wide receiver positions, may not even be settled by the first game," Osborne said. ,md - r Ji - ' " 1 Photo by Ted Kirk Dodie Donnell (45) back-up to first team fullback Tony Davis, encounters defenders during an end sweep in Saturday's scrimmage. on iQoa Prokop Devaney's biggest problem By Larry Stunkel If all of the problems of financing, restrictions and funding aren't enough for Bob Devaney, UNL's athletic director, there's always the NU Board of Regents to make things worse. This summer Devaney had to wrestle with issues like: -the restrictions proposed by the NCAA to save money, when so far all the restrictions have done is cost the Huskers more. -implementation of Title IX. -a labor strike which delayed completion of the new ficldhouse one more year. -the rising costs of operating the athletic program at UNL because of inflation. All sports standing This list is enough to give any athletic director nightmares. However, Regent Robert Prokop enters the picture by asking a basic question: "Why did Nebraska athletic teams finish last in the Big 8 all-sports standing?" Prokop publically criticized Devaney in state newspapers and even wrote a letter to a state senator. If he was a regent at another school, Prokop would have every right to do so. Technically he does as a University of Nebraska regent. But if one stops to think, whether Prokop is legitimate in his gripe is another question. The debate about why UNL's sports had such a poor showing last season and what should be done about it could fill this page. In studying this issue one must take into account: -UNL's Athletic Dept. receives no funding from any source otiier than tickets sales and alumni contributions. -Devaney's budget operated at a profit until the past fiscal year, (which ended July 31), when the department took a $30,000 loss. -With the exception of the new sports complex, every major construction project concerning the Athletic Dept. was paid for by the Athletic Dept. This includes expansion of seats and the press box in Memorial Stadium, the South Stadium Office Bldg., the baseball diamond and the outdoor track. -Most of the financial burden added by Title IX ($80,000 of $132,000) was assumed by the athletic dept. The Legislature refused to appropriate additional funds. Books balanced In short, Devaney has run an Athletic Dept. in terms of keeping the books balanced, wlrfch is the main thing the regents and Legislature wanted. But if Prokop wants to have a top notch program in terms of winning, he is going to have to take a different attitude toward funds. ' Nebraska may have finished last in the Big 8 all-sports standings, but at least the bills were paid, and the state's taxpayers didn't have to assume the burden. (Kansas State, for example, has over $1 million in unpaid debts and finished above the Huskers In all-sports). While Nebraska finished last in the U-sports standings, the amount of alumni contributions compared with other schools wasn't near the top either. Monvy needed If Prokop is so concerned about athletics (education for that matter) he must realize along with the rest of our state officials that it takes money. If everyone is so concerned about winning, why is it the Legislature freely pours money into UNO's athletics (which are barely comparable in most cases), without expecting some success? Taking that into consideration, Devaney has given Nebraska a good return on its investment-something for nothing. Travel expenses, tuition cited Wildcats forced to drop three sports tKS S noris By Pete Wcgman Kansas State (KSU), in an attempt to keep its athletic department operating in the black, has withdrawn financial support from three team sports: wrestling, tennis and golf. KSU in Manhattan, is the only Big 8 school to take such a move, though many across the nation had to drop some athletic programs because of spiraling tuition costs and travel expenses. According to Nebraska Athletic Director Bob Devaney, KSlTs decision should have little, if any, effect on Nebraska's programs. "It doesn't affect us much. It's not a big item," Devaney said. "Of course, we're not happy about it. We'd like to have them continue." Scheduling problem The biggest problem caused by KSU's action will be rescheduling, he said. Cornhusker tennis, golf, and wrestling teams will have to play fewer contests or 'mwt more non-conference foes, Devaney said. Devaney added that dropping certain sports will increase as colleges find that it is becoming harder and harder to keep on sound financial ground. Head Wrestling Coach Orval Borgia!!! said KSU's decision will hurt the conference as a whole. Since Kansas University (KU) hasn't had a wrestling team since 1966, only six Big 8 schools will have wrestling programs this year. Dropped sport KU had a wrestling squad for three years, but dropped the sport after finishing last in the Big 8 all three years, Borgialli said. "This will hurt Kansas high school wrestling since there's no direct pipeline to a major university now," he said, "it also eliminates one of our closest competitors as far as travel goes." In place of a scheduled home match against KSU, the Husker wrestlers will be forced to travel to Colorado to face the Air Force Academy Falcon to fill the open date on the schedule. According to Borgialli, there are n3 plans to drop wrestling at Nebraska. "We've always been pretty conservative financially with our wrestling program here," he said. Tournament ptay Larry Romjue, head golf coach, said the Husker golf squad won't be affected by the absence of s KSU team. "Basically we don't play dual meets; we rely primarily on tournament play," he said. . Romjue also said he thought K-State might continue with golf as a club sport without direct funding from the athletic department. This is how sports such as rugby and soccer operate at UNL. Romjue, like Borgialli, knows of no plans to drop golf from the Athletic Dept. "As long as we're on a good financial base, which we are here at Nebraska, we shouldn't have to worry about dropping golf," he said. Tennis coach Jim Porter was not available for comment. UNL men's swim team will hold a meeting today at 3:30 pm. by the Coliseum pool. Last year's varsity members and those wishing to try out for the team are Invited to attend. Men's varsity swim coach John Reta asks that any women interested in timing swim meets this season report to room 206 in the Coliseum anytime. The UNL Tae-Kwon-Do Karate club will host a demonstration Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Coliseum. Everyone is invited to attend. Physicals will be given for UNL wrestlers Monday and Tuesday. The team will begin weight training three days a week starting Sept. 8. Daily practices start Oct. 13. Women planning to try out for the volleyball team must attend a meeting at . 4:30 p.m. in Women's P.E. Bldg. 313.